What's Looking Good In December 2011

Nice pics Shiney. I always find it especially cheering to see some colour and greenery in the garden in the darkest days of December.
Bacopa is a new one to me, I might give it a try next year. Like the ferns too.
We have a couple of Callicarpas at work, this seems to be a particularly good year for berries on them. Looks like yours has done well too.
Am I right in saying the 'lovely ladies' are Partridges?

 

"They're pheasants. We have had generations of male and female pheasants in our garden. It great to see the chicks running around the patio

They're wild but we have been feeding them for years and at some times of year they spend most of the day in the garden. "

Down at Auntys house there are many Pheasants, but not as many as when the shoot is out
Then there are dozens in the back garden safe behind the 4' stone wall

They are not STUPID birds

Jack McH

 

Had a bit of a tidy up and sorted out my pots and containers yesterday.
I like to use plants which continue to provide colour and interest through the winter to brighten things up in the darker months. I've picked up shoots and cuttings from various plants over the years at work or from fellow gardeners and now have a few good 'winter brighteners'.

Heucheras. Don't know the variety of either, I started them from offshoots of some we were dividing at work which weren't labelled. I know there are one or two Heuchera lovers on here, any ideas?
There's also a small Ophiopogon in there for a bit of contrast.




Salvia icterina and Yucca filamentosa 'Golden sword'.




Lonicera 'Baggesen's Gold'. Always good for bright winter foliage, needs plenty of light to be at its best.




The whole collection. The scruffy looking plant behind the Yucca is actually a Jasminium nudiflorum planted in a large pot and grown up a metal sweet pea 'obelisk'. Not really at its best just yet but hopefully it will produce more flowers later in the winter.
It all helps to brighten up what would otherwise be a very boring brick wall right outside our back door.




I like to try something a bit different each winter. This is Cornus 'Midwinter Fire' with Ophiopogon and a couple of Polyanthus thrown in. I just made it up from odd plants around the garden which needed moving or growing on.
Will probably look better next winter when all the plants have filled out a bit more.
(Plus rocks picked up on various holidays around Britain).

 

Still got some nice colour going there Armandii.
I've noticed many of the Berberis have produced a better than usual crop of berries this year, looks like yours have too.
Love the Garrya too, haven't seen that many catkins on one for a long time.

Yep, it started as an offshoot from a clump at work which was spreading and needed tidying up last winter. I took a couple of rooted pieces home, potted them up and now have two decent sized plants, free! :D
I think 'Midwinter Fire' is just about my favourite of all the Cornus for winter colour. Nothing lights up a dull winter day like those flaming orange/red stems.
Its only drawback is that it's slower growing than most other dogwoods, so needs a slightly different approach to pruning to produce the best results.

 

Shiney, I've never been to Anglesey Abbey, must go and have a look, thanks for the tip.
Another winter garden worth a look in this area, if you've not been there before, is the one at Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Well worth a visit at any time of year actually.

 

Still managing to find some colour and interest in the garden, even in the depths of December. A few close-ups taken in my garden last weekend:

Winter Jasmine




Viburnum tinus




A Clematis seed head sparkling in the winter sun




Honesty seed head